Electrical means for controlling hydraulic presses



F. B. FISHBURNE Junels, 196s ELECTRICAL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING HYDRAULIC PRESSES 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed July 10, 1961 INV ENTOR Francis B. F ishburne wozu mwOLmO CP .mai

ATTORNEY June l5, 1965 F. B. FlsHBURNE ELECTRICAL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING HYDRAULIC PRESSES 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed July 10, 1961 ...C 8 JSG 540m 2 km0 n ma 0 ma .wma

5w ma ma wd@ m mica 2O ATTORNEY June 15, 1965 F. B. FlsHBuRNE ELECTRICAL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING HYDRAULIC PRESSES Original Filed July 10. 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 June l5, 1965 F. B. FlsHauRNE ELECTRICAL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING HYDRAULIC PRESSES '9 sheets-sheet 4 Original Filed July 10, 1961 mvENToR Francis B. Fshburne h JQIEQE PP ouml I we bmw.-

ATTORNEY June 15, 1965 F. B. FlsHBuRNE ELECTRICAL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING HYDRAULIC PRESSES 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed July 10. 1961 LD 24m @Je l C I! *2 8 INVENTOR z I Francls B. F ishburne June 15, 1965 F. a. FlsHBuRNE ELECTRICAL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING HYDRAULIC PRESSES Original Filed July l0. 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR Francis B. Fishburne ATTORNEY wwumm ...12m

June 15, 1965 F. s. FISHBURNE 3,188,941

ELECTRICAL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING HYDRAULIC PRESSES Original Filed July 1-0. 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 but JED mlow bmw.- om

INVETOR Francis B. Fshburne BY Q I ATTORNEY June 15, 1965 F. B. FxsHBuRNE 3,188,941

ELECTRICAL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING HYDRAULIC PRESSES 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Original Filed July l0. 1961 INVENTOR Francis B. Fishburne ATTORNEY VIII um ro:

June 15, 1965 F. a. FISHBU'RNE ELECTRICAL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING HYDRAULIC PRESSES Original Filed July 10, 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 .simi

INVENTOR Francis B. Fishburne ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,188,941 ELECTRICAL MEANS FUR CNTROLLING HYDRAULIC PRESSES Francis B. Fishburne, R0. Box 927, Asheville, N.C. Original application July 10, 1961, Ser. No. 123,008, now Patent No. 3,118,512, dated Jan. 21, 1964. Divided and this application Mar. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 266,288 14 Claims. (Cl. 10d-49) The present application is a division of my prior, copending application Serial No. 123,008, filed July 10, 1961, now Patent No. 3,118,512, issued January 21, 1964.

This invention relates to combined manual and automatic electrically operated controls for double acting hydraulic power cylinders, such as those employed in connection with presses for packing or compacting loose compressible materials in containers.

While, in its broader aspects, the invention is applicable to material handling in general, it has especial utility when embodied in equipment for packing tobacco in hogsheads, such as shown, for example, in my prior Patent No. 2,675,154, issued April 13, 1954, and will be described in connection with such apparatus.

This apparatus comprises a pair of fixed, horizontally spaced chargers beneath which containers, such as hogsheads, are placed, a power operated ram disposed above each charger and arranged to enter the same to compress the material which has been fed into it and the associated container, a reversible packer conveyor extending between the upper ends of the chargers, means for feeding a constant stream of material, such as tobacco, onto such conveyor, a pair of chutes or spouts adapted to receive the material from the ends of said conveyor and deliver it into the respective chargers, and means for moving said `chutes or spouts horizontally back and forth from a position immediately over said chargers to a position at one side of said chargers, so as to be out of the path of said rams when they descend to compress the material which has been delivered.

In my above-mentioned patent, individual manual rmeans was provided for controlling the various operations such as actuating the rams and shifting the chutes, and interlocking means was employed for rendering it impossible for power to be supplied to force a ram downwardly if the chute happened to be located beneath it, in its path of movement.

In my prior copending application Serial No. 101,720, liled April l0, 1961, now Patent No. 3,060,977, issued October 30, 1962, I have disclosed means for automatically shifting the chutes back and forth, as the rams move upwardly and downwardly.

It is one object of the present invention to devise further improvements to render the entire operating cycle of ysuch a twin packer completely automatic, i.e., to provide means whereby the conveyor will be periodically reversed in proper timed relation with the movements of the rams and the alternately operated to compress the material delivered into the chargers, so that, when once started, this cycle will be repeated indefinitely, without further attention by the operator.

In the packing of tobacco in containers heads,

such as hogsit is usually desirable to make the charger of such height that it will accommodate approximately a thousand pounds, so that, when this is compressed into the hogshead by a single stroke of the ram, the illed hogshead will have roughly that weight. This is known as a one lill operation. However, if the tobacco is exceptionally light and duily, it has been found that it is impossible to get enough in a charger of practicable height to produce a weightof a thousand pounds. It then becomes necessary to pack the hogshead in two steps, that is to iirst put into CII 3,188,94-l Patented .lune l5, 1965 Another object is to provide complete manual control means by which the automatic cycle may be interrupted at any point whatever, in case of emergency or special conditi-ons. Thus, the upward or downward stroke of each ram may be instantly stopped when desired, and the movement of the conveyor may be manually stopped or reversed, as required. Furthermore, the arrangement is such that after the manual means has served its purpose, the automatic control means will take over and carry on, regardless of the position occupied by the parts as a result of the manual operation.

This provision of manual means for interrupting the automatic cycle at any desired point, and thereafter permitting the automatic control means to take over and carry on is by no means limited to the specific type of twin packer shown in my above-mentioned patent, but is applicable to any automatic material or article handling systems in which cylinders with reciprocating pistons are employed, and in which there is a continuous llow of materials or articles to the apparatus.

With the above and other objects in View, and to improve generally on the details of such apparatus, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing the arrangement of chargers and conveyors employed in connection with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevation of one of the double solenoid-operated four way valves which I employ for controlling the supply of motive uid to the cylinders operating the rams;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation showing the operators control panel used in connection with my improved automatic system;

FIGS. 4a to 4h, taken together, constitute a complete electrical diagram showing the various circuits and electrical apparatus employed in carrying out the invention, FIGS. 4a and 4b showing circuits applying generally to both presses, FIGS. 4c and 4e showing the circuits controlling the left press, FIG. 4g showing the control of the supply conveyor, and FIGS. 4d, 4f, and 4h showing the circuits controlling the right press; and

FIG. 5 is a chart showing how the sheets containing the various FIGS. 4EL to 4h should be arranged to produce a complete diagram of the circuits.

Referring to the drawings in detail and more particularly rst to FIG. 1, the invention involves a twin packer generally similar to that shown in my said prior Patent No. 2,675,154, that is to say, it employs a pair of chargers 23 and 24 between which extends a packer conveyor 25, driven by a reversible motor M1. The tobacco or other material is delivered from this packer conveyor into the top of the chargers either with or without rotary spouts or distributors such as shown in my said patent. The material is fed onto the packer conveyor 2S by means of a supply conveyor 26, driven by a reversible motor M2. The tobacco or other material may be brought to and delivered onto the supply conveyor 26 in any convenient way, as by means of endless conveyors 27 and 28.

The supply conveyor 26 will usually occupy an inclined position and beneath its lower end, namely, the end remote from the packer conveyor, is placed a hogshead or other receptacle 29, for a purpose hereinafter described.

- the filling operation on Y oi weighing scale, having a scale dial 44, and for removing si?) As in my said patent, each charger delivers into a hogss,`1 eager head, which is usually supported-Ona wheeled dolly. I

preferably employ an arrangement in whichthe wheels of the dolly rest Aupon tracks ywhich are supported` during the platform of a well-known type the wheels from the tracks so as to take the load od of the scale platform during the pressing operation, as is well known'in =the art. In the present case, this is. accomplished by raising and lowering the tracks by meansY of air cylinders, the supply of motive fluid to which is Ycontrolled by spring-biased valves AVI andl AVZ, each operated by a solenoid v, as hereinafter more fully explained.

The supply of motive iiuidV to the main ram cylinder is controlled, as in my said prior patent, by'means of a Yspecial four-way valve 57. The iuid under pressure is supplied to pipe SS by means of a pump, lwhile it is exhausted through pipe 59 to a tank." From the other side of the valve extend pipes 6d to the opposite ends ofthe main ram cylinder such as indicated at A1 in FIG. 4.

While in my said prior patent these fourfwayvalves Were manually operated, inthe present invention I operopposite ends of the Y one of these solenoids by a wire 5, andto the otherby a wire 9, the other sides of the solenoids being grounded.

matically controlled by relays as hereinafter" more fully described in connection with the complete'circuit diagram. f

It will be understood that, forthe sake of simplicity,

no attempt has been made to illustrate the details of theY four-way valve shown in FIGQZ. Valves of this type are well known and commercially available, as for example from Vickers, Incorporated. They are' described as dou- K willbe understood that this Y 'diagram illustrates the control circuits for both the right-v thereto. No attempt has been made to illustratethe details of these four-way switches,V since they are `well known pieces of equipment andy are commercially available as for example from Allen-Bradley Company.

Also illustrated inthe circuit diagram and on Ythe control vpaneloi FIG. 3 are ya series of kpush buttons designated PBL FB2, PBS, PE4, PBSandPBrv.

Further illustrated are a number of red and green signal lights, the red signal lights being designated RLl, RL2,.RL3,VRL4 and RLS, and the greensignal lights Vbeing designated GLI to GLlll inclusive..

Other important pieces of equipment illustrated in the Vcircuit diagram are four solenoid-operated, conveyor control relaysV designatedfCRI, CRZ, CRE and CR4. Each of thesev conveyor relays comprises a solenoid winding a Vand la pair of Contact bars b and c, each bar being arranged to engage either of two pairs of iixed contacts.

1 rIhere are also timing switches, one for each press, designated TS1 and TS2. The purpose ofrthese will of course Abe hereinafter fully explained. Each of these tim- Y ing switches includes a solenoido and a contact bar p,

ate them by means of a pair of Vsolenoids disposed at valvecasing. Current is supplied to vThe ilow of current through the wires 5 and V9 is. autoand lett-hand presses' of ythe twinpacker. VAIt maybe pointed out that to facilitate an understanding of the circuits and, so far as practicable, I have adopted the .plan

of designating by even numbers the elementsA related vto the right-hand press and by odd numbers the elements related to the left-hand press. Ity mayV also bev pointed out that, for the sake of clearness, I have designated by y the same'reference numeral all parts of a conductorsysten'iwhich are permanently connected together, even though the conductors may extend over several sheets ofthe draw- K ing s In same identifying characters to indicate the parts as appear in the igures making up the circuit diagram: It will be yseen that in both the circuit diagram .and on4 theV control panel I have illustrated-four'so-called key switches,

designated KSI, KS2, KS3, and KS4; This type of switch ris normally locked and can only be operatedby insertion of the proper key. The use of such key switches is desirable in order to prevent-operation by'unauthorizedV persons. v

Also illustrated in the circuit diagram and on the control panel are a pair of four-way ram-control manual switches, designated CS1 and CS2. These switches areA operated by a so-called wobblesticki'designated u. Each p of these switches is spring biased to normal or neutral position, and each embodies two pairs of contact bars q, r, s, and t, disposed at right anglesto each other like Vthe sides of a square. The wobble stick can be moved vertically, as viewed inVFIGS. 4c and 4d, to bring one pair of contact bars'into and out of engagement with adjacent fixed contacts, and can be moved horizontally to bring the other pair of Contact bars into and out lof engagement with` other pairsfofpxed contactsV adjacentV FIG. 3 ,showingthe control panelI have used thek f thejlatter` being arranged to play between two pairs of ixedcontacts. I j f .v

In Vaddition-.to the solenoidV operated relays just described, there are illustrated in the circuit diagrama large number of standard doublecontact relays designated R1 torl312 inclusive. Each of these relays comprises a coil or winding h, fourtixed contacts, z', j, k, l, and a pair Vof movable contacts m and n. g

When the coil lz is deenergized, the movable contacts are in engagement with the inner xed contacts j and k, and when the coil is energized, the .movable contacts engage the outer rixed contacts i' and l. Although from an inspection of the` diagram yit will be seen that in many cases some oi the yiixed contacts are idle, that is to say are not connected to anything, neverthelessy I prefer to employ thesel standard relays throughout the system as they are well/known and commercially available.A l In practice, these relays arej preferably mounted inside of 'a cabinet the front wall or cover of which is formed by .the control panel-l illustrated in FIG. 3. In addit-ionv to thefab-ove-mentioned elements, the cir- ;cuit Vdiagram also illustratesr schematically the leftand right-hand presses. The left-hand press comprisesr a main cylinder-A11 and `a plunger or ram B1, the latter carrying 'a vertically extending control tube C1. Similarly, the

lright-'hand press comprises .a cylinder A2, a ram B2 and acontrol tube'CZ. Y d Y It may be explained vthat thesecontrol tubes are illustrated and describedin detail in my prior Patent No.

3,060,977.l On each control tubeV is mounted a pair of cams d and e -spaced a substantial distance apart as shown.

These cams 4engage and operatev levers g connected with contact bars j"V oftwo pairs of=up and down limit switches designated LS1,y LSZ, LSS and LS4. As shown in the diagram, vthe contact barf and lever g are movable from `the position shown in'full lines to the position illustrated in dotted lines.v In these switches the free or normal posi- YV"tion of thel parts f andvg are shown in full lines while vignatedv by the same characters. These motors are shown .as of the rthree phase typeV fed with current by lines L1 and L2 and controlled by starting and reversing mechanisms S1 and S2',Y The star-ting and reversing mechanism S1 contains control coils 75 and 76, whilethe starting Y.and reversing mechanism-rS2 .contains controly coils 91 and 92. These fourfcontrol coils are connected into the ,complete `circuit as illustrated in the diagram in a manner hereinafterY more" fully described. Suiiice it to say for the present that when ycoil 75`isV energized it ser-ves to start jthe motor vMil and lcause it to run in one direction, and

when ythe coil 76 is energized it serves to start the motor land cause it to run in the opposite direction. The same is true of the coils 91 and 92 shown in connection with the motor M2. These magnetically controlled starting and reversing mechanisms are well known and commercially available, as for example from Allen-Bradley Co., Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The weighing scale dial 44 is illustrated at SD1 in FIG. 4e and `at SDZ in FIG. 4f. Each dial has a pointer 62 moving over the scale and three fixed contacts x, y and z, disposed in circumferentially spaced relation. In actual practice, suitable mercury tube switches are used for closing the various circuits on these scale dials, but for the sake of simplicity and clearness, I have shown the pointer 62 as carrying a curved contact bar 63 adapted to bridge either the contacts x Iand y or the contacts y and z, depending upon the angular position or the pointer.

ln considering the complete circuit diagram, the sheets of drawing marked FIGS. 42L to 4h inclusive should be arranged as shown in FIG. 5. The three sheets in the right-hand column relate to the controls for the right-hand press, while the other figures relate either to the control of the left-hand press or to circuits not relating particularly to either press.

`Referring first to FIG. 4a, the key switch KSl when roti supplies current from wire O to signal light RL1 through wire 30. When turned on this switch connects lwire O with wire 1 thus lighting signal lamp G11. The wire 1 also extends down across FIGS. 4h, 40, 4@ and 4g ready to supply current to the various controls such as push buttons PE1, PE2, PE4, and PBS, the limit switches L83 and LS/il, the control relays CR1, CK2, CRS yand 0K4, as well as numerous other standard relays. In FIG. 4e wire 1 has two branches extending o-ver to FIG. 4f and from FIG. 4f it extends up to FIG. 4d to supply current rfor the right-rand press control, and over to FIG. 4h to relay R32.

Key switch KS2, when in off position connects wire 1 fwith signal light GLZ through wire 3-1. When turned on it connects wire 1 with signal lamp GL3 through wire 45. This wire 45 Ialso extends down across FIG. 4h and into FIG. 4C to supply current to the coil of relay R14 which when energized establishes a ground connection for relay R through contacts n and l and wire 65, and `the ground connection for relay R16 through contacts m and i and wire 64,

When the left-hand press plunger B1 is up the limit switch LSE', which has been engaged by cam e connects wire 1 with wire 109 through the bar f, thus supplying voltage to push button PE2 in FIG. 4b. In the normal posit-ion of push button PE2, wire 10.6 feeds wire 126 which extends across FIG. 4G to FIG. 4e and thence across to FIG. 4f where it connects with relay R219.

At the same time, if the plunger B2 of the right-hand press is down, limit switch L84 connects wire 1 with w-ire 99. `In the normal position of push button PBI, the wire 99 which extends from FIG. 4d across FIG. 4f to FIG. 4h where it connects with relay R30, with a branch extending along FIG. 4G, and going up across FIG. 4c and .thence into FIG. 4b to push button PBI, is connected with wire 125 which extends down across FIG. 4C to FIG. te and there connects with relay R19.

To start up the equipment and run packer conveyor to the left, the operator depresses push button PB1. Thisconnects wire 100 through push button FB2 to wire 1'2'3 which energizes coil a of control relay CR1 through wire 129, thus pulling down bar b and connecting wire 1 through wire 106 with coil '75 of the automatic starting and reversing mechanism S1 causing the motor M1 to move packer conveyor toward the left, A-t the same time bar c `bridges wires 1 and 98 thus lighting signal lamp GL6.

Wire 128 also extends across FIG. 4C to 4e, whence it goes over into FIG. 4f and connects with the contact i of relay R20. Relay CR1 is self-holding through normally 6 closed contacts 9S and 128 of relay CRZ. To stop the conveyor, the operator pushes button PBS, which deenergizes relay CRI. Bar c then bridges wires 1 and 105, and through wire 107 lights signal lamp RL4.

To run the packer conveyor to the right, the operator pushes button FB2. This connects wire 99 through push button PE1 Ito wire 127 which energizes coil a of relay CRZ pulling down bar b, breaking the holding circuit of relay CRI, and connecting wire 1 through wire 108 to ,the coil 76 of the starting and reversing mechanism S1, causing mot-or M1 to move conveyor 25 toward the right. Bar c bridges wires 1 and 97 thus lighting signal lamp GL7. Wire 127 also extends across FIG. 4 into FIG. 4B where it connects with contact z' of relay R19. Relay CR2 is self-holding, through wires 97 and 127 of relay CR1. The conveyor is stopped by pushing button PBS as before.

The control system for the supply conveyor 26 is shown in FIG. 4g, and includes the push buttons PE4 and PBS.

To start the supply conveyor forward the loperator presses push butt-on PE4. This connects wire 1 through push -button PBS `and wire 119 to `wire 169 which energizes coil a of relay CRS through wire 113, pulling down bar b which connects wire 1 through wire 115 to coil 91 of the starting and reversing mechanism S2 for supply conveyor motor M2. At the same time bar c connects wire 1 with wire 111 which lights signal lamp GLN. Relay CRS is self-holding through bar c which sends current through wire 1111, bar b of relay CRE and wire 109. Forward travel of the conveyor is stopped by push button PB6, Iand the signal lamp RLS is lighted through bar c of relays CRS and CRd in series, and wires 117 and 114.

The conveyor may be reversed by pushing the reverse button PBS. This connects wire 1 with wire 110, energizing coil a of relay CR4, pulling down the bar b land breaking the holding circuit for relay CRS. 'Bar b also connects wire 1 lthrough wire `121i with coil 92 of the starting and reversing mechanism S2. At the same time bar c bridges wires 1 and 1,12 thus lighting signal lamp GL19. Relay CR@ is self-holding through wire `112, bar b of relay CRS, wire 121, push button PB@ `and wire 110.

The reverse travel of the conveyor may be stopped by pressing forward push bu-tton PE4, which breaks the above-described holding Vcircuit through this push button 4and energizes relay CRS.

MANUAL OPERATION Assuming that the right press plunger is up, and with `limit switch L84 bridging wires 1 and 99, lighting signal lamp GL'7 allowing the packer conveyor to move toward the right, current can be supplied for operation of the left press lram through wire 97, from conveyor relay CR2. To cause the left plunger or ram to make a down stroke, the operator manipulates the manual switch CS1 (commonly called wobble stick), moving it to the right, the bar r bridging wires 19 and 93, thus energizing coil h of relay R5 connecting wire 97 to the down coil of the hydraulic valve HV1-A, through wire S, thereby admitting motive uid to the top of the cylinder A1. Wire 93 is made live through relay R3, when in dead position shown in FIG. 4, from wire 97, which is supplied with current from live lwire 1 through .bar c of relay CR2, when pulled down to cause conveyor 25 to feed to the right.

The operator holds the control switch CS1 over to the right 4as long as he wants the ram to continue to move, and when he releases the switch .and it returns to neutral position, the ram stops.

To raise the ram, the operator moves the stick u to the left causing the bar t to bridge wires 95 and 21, thus energizing coil h of relay R7, connecting wire 97 to wire 9 and thus supplying current to valve solenoid HV1-B.

AUTOMATIC `OPERATION If the ram is up, .and it is desired to have it move downword automatically, the operator initiates the movement vsity o-r' the operator bumping the I'IVZ-B respectively.

'switches LS3 and L84 respectively.

by .burnping the stick momentarily down, thus causing Ybar s to bridge wires 93 and 7. This energizesvcoil l1 of4 relay R1, th-us causing contact n `to enga-ge contactl and supplying -current Ifrom wire 97. through wire 5 to the Y vsolenoid valve HV1-A to Amove the plunger downward.

A holding circuit is established .from .wire 5 .through contacts n and k of relay R5, and through normally bridged `Wires 15 and 7 of limit switch LS1. The ram Continues stopping the ram. The ram may also berstoppcd at will and at any desired point of its stroke by moving manual Vcontrol switch CS1 t-o the right, momentarily, thus energizing relay R5, and breaking the holding circuitthrough wires 5 and 15. The limit switch, when contacted byV the' cam on the'ram, bridges wires -17 and 97, thus energizing coil o of the time switch TS1, and, after a suitable interval, this pulls up bar lp, bridging` wires 11 and 193, the latter of which connects with wire 3 through contacts n and k of relay R15.

If thereafter it is desiredt-o have the ram move upward automatically to the top of its stroke, the operator momentarily bumps the stick u upwardly causing the bar q to bridge =wires 95 Iand 3,'thus supplying current wires 193 and 11 to coil h of relay R3. and causing contact n to conneet wire 97 with wire 9, thus energizing valve solenoid HV1-R1 A holding'circuit is established through limit switch LSB via wires9 and 13 and to 11 through contacts k and n of relay R7, which is broken by cam e when ram A1 reaches the'up limit of itsmovernent, yand is thus stopped.

VThe ramrnay also be stopped at any desired point by moving the manual control switch CS1 momentarily to the left, thus energizing relay R7, and breaking the holding circuit through wires `13 and 1i. f

It it is desired to have the ram move upward automatically after the timer TS1 has operated, without the necesthe key switch KS2 is turned on, ythus energizing relay R14 through Iwire 45, thereby supplying a ground for the Coil 0f relay R15, as above explained, so that it Vmay be energized by current from `wire 97.1 When thus energized,

manual control switch,

Yenergizing these solenoids and'lifting the wheel tracks so ythat thegweight of the hogshead will be supported on the scale platform during the subsequent illing operation.

COMPLETE ,CYCLE CONTROL BY SCALE DIALS Y Assuming that both conveyors Vare running, with the left ram up and the packer conveyor feeding toward the left, and it is desired to control the operation entirely auto matically by means of the scale dials, the key switch KS3 is turned on.r In its offf position the red signal lamp f RL2 is lighted over wire 32.

relay R15 connects timer Wire-1ti3 throughvwire95 and relay R1 to live wire 97, thu-s byapassing the manual switch CS1 and causing voltage tobe always present in wir-e 1613. When the timer operates, it connects wire 103 to wire 11, through bar p, thus energizing relay R3, which then connects wire 97 ,to wire 9 and the up lsolenoid of valve HV1-B. f

Similarly, the right-hand press maybe operated bythe control switch CS2 (FIG. 4d) either manually down or up through the relay R6 lor R8, by moving the stick u to the right orleft and holding it, or automatically by moment-arily bumping the'control switch to set up the holding relay R2y or Rd governed by the and downwardly by the s-olenoid valvesy I-IVZ-A and It will be noted that the reference numerals in-this FIG. 4d are even numbers, differing I,by one digit from the oddV numbers usediindescribing the circuits tor the left-hand press in FIG. 4, and itis thought that the operation can be readily understood Without further discussion. Y v

Relays R27 and R28 provide extra contacts for'limit Note that they are energized byV wires 1d() land 99, extending respectively from contacts of these switches. The contact-s m of these relays serve to connect wires 87 and 88 respectively with wireV 81y extending to the scale dials 44, las hereinafter more fully explained, whilev contacts n of these relays serve to connect Wire 1 lwith the solenoid coils v of the two track air valves AV-l and AVAZ respectively.

It will be understood that,whether manually controlled or automatically operated, the press rams actuatetheup limitY switches when theyA reach `their top' position, thus limit switchesfLSZ and LS4 and the timer TS2. The ram B2 is moved upwardly wheel When the key switch is turned on it connects wire 1 with'wire 81. This lights signal lamp GIA. Wire 81 ex- .tends down to the lett, across FIG. 4b and across FIG. ic

to FIG. 4e where it is connected with the contact y of the scale dial 4K2 of S131. Similarly, wire 81 extends from the lower right side of FIG. 49' down across FIGS. 4b and 4C to FIG. 4e where it turns to the right Vand goes over to FIG. 4f Vand connects with thelcontact y of the dial 44 of iighthand scale SD2. Thus,.lwire lS1 is connected with the' middle contact of both scale dials SDI and SD2.

' As'the tobacco is delivered into the charger and hogshead of the left-hand press, the pointer 620i the left-hand scale S131 begins to move over the dial 44 until the arcuate contact 63 bridges the iixed contacts x and y. VNothing happens at this pointas so far described bect use the circuit 79 extending from. contact x is open at the contact z' of relay R12.

As the weight of thetooacco in the charger increases, the pointer 62.1noves around thedial progressively further and further until the arcuate contact63 finally bridges the contacts y and z. The .position or the contact z is such as to correspond approximately to a weight of 1,000 pounds. When the contact 63 engages Contact z, it closes a circuit from wire S1 to wire 33. This sends current from wire S3 through coil h of relay R31 (FIG. 4g), thus energizing this relay and connecting VWire 1 through contacts n and l with wire 191. This extends overV to contact n of relay R39 (FIG. 4h). y

If the ram B2 of the Vright-hand press is up, the limit Vswitch L84 serves to energize this selector relay R30 over wires 1 and 99 (FIG. 4d), and lconnects wire 101 to wire S5 (FIG. 4h). Wire 35 extends to relayk R23, where, if

Athis, relay is energized, wire d5 is connected with wire 77.

Relay R23 is energized by wires 89 and 81, through relay R25, which, in turn, is energized from limit switch L82,

Y over wire 1d. f

' `Wire 77 sends current simultaneously through'the coils of both relays R19 and R21.

v (FIG. 4b), thus reversing the packerk rconveyor motor M1 through control wire 1%, as above described.

HWhen relay CRZ pulls down, ,it connects wire 1 to wire 97. Current is delivered from'wire97 to relay R3 (which is dead provided the ram is not already in an automatic cycle) and thence through contact m to wire 93.'

Relay R21, mentioned above as having been energized, connects wire 93 to wire 7, through its contact m, and

. wire 7 feeds current to coil l1 of relay R1 (FIG. 4c).v This connects wire 97, through contacten and l with wire 5,

'which sends current Vthrough the down solenoid of hydraulic valve HVL-A, forcing the ram downwardly. Thus the ram is put into an automatic down cycle, with holding circuit and ,controls as described above under Automatic operation.V 3 f A completely auto-matic cycle of the right-hand press ram will occur in asimilar manner, controlled by the pointer of the right-hand scale dial SDZ, when the desired vweight is reached.

Y VIt will thus be understood that an electrical impulse sent out from a scale dial over'wire 83, when the pointer g indicates the desired weight, does two things. It reverses the packer conveyor, through the medium of relay R19, and at the same time, starts the ram moving downward, through the medium of relay R21, as above described. So far as I am aware, this is a broadly new concept.

Referring to the reversal of packer conveyor by relay R19, as above described, it will be understood that this is the normal operation, when the ram is up. Under these circumstances, wire 99 will be live, thus energizing relay R30, and wire 1511 will be connected with wire 85. If, however, the ram is not up all the way to the top, wire 99 will be dead at the limit switch, and relay R30 will not be energized, and the impulse from wire 101 will go to wire 11i). This, in turn, will energize the coil a or" control relay CPA (FIG. 4g) and thus reverse the supply conveyor, motor M2.

It will therefore be noted that if, during the automatic cycle operation, the ram of either press should, for any reason, not be all the way up, the impulse from the scale dial, instead of reversing the packer conveyor to deliver into that press, will reverse the supply conveyor, thus cutting off the delivery of tobacco to the packer conveyor and avoiding the dumping of tobacco on top ofthe ram. This is a very important, and, I believe, broadly novel feature.

TWO F ILL OPERATION It the tobacco being packed is especially light and iiuiiy, it is necessary to use the two l'ill circuit. To do this, the operator turns on key switch R54 (FiG. 4a), in addition to the other key switches. When this switch is olf, it lights signal lamp RLS through wire 118. When turned on it supplies current to wire 116 and lights signal lamp GLS. Wire 116 extends down across FIGS. 4b and 4 and energizes coil .1L of relay R12 (FIG. 4d). This connects wire 79 to wire 83 (and also wire Sti to wire S4 for the righthand scale dial). Thus, when the pointer contact 63 bridges contacts x and y of wires 79 and 81, coil h of the relay R31 is energized. This connects wires 1 and 161,

kas above described. The position of contact x on the dial corresponds with a weight of approximately 500 pounds.

It has been explained how set up relay R23 is energized through limit switch LSZ. Similarly, set up relay R24 is energized through limit switch LS1. This is s0, whether the one-lill or the two-fill circuit is being used.

Relays R23 and R24 must be self-holding in order to deliver the scale impulses to relays R19 and R21. Relay ,y R23 becomes self-holding through relay R27, energized by limit switch L83, and relay R24 similarly becomes selfholding through limit switch L84. These holding circuits are of cour-se broken when the limit switches are operated by the rams. Wires 18 and 17 get impulses and relays R25 and R26 will click every time the rams go down, but no impulse goes beyond relay R23 or R24 except as now desclibed.

Relay R12 (FIG. 4e) having been energized by key switch KS4, connects wire 79 with wire 83. When, therefore, the left scale dial registers 560, and the pointer bridges contacts x and y, thus connecting wires 81 and 79, an impulse is sent from wire 81 to Wire 79 and thence through relay R12 to wire S3, which works relays R19 and R21, as described before, thereby reversing the packer conveyor and initiating the downward movement of the left press ram. Relay R23 is killed by the breaking of the holding circuit at limit switch L53.

kThe left press ram then engages limit switch LS1, which stops its down stroke and also sets up relay R24 through relay R26 and wire 17, and also actuates timer TS1. Meanwhile, the right-hand press is lilling. After the timer operates, the left ram starts up, and when it reaches top position, the wheel tracks lift, as already described, and the -scale which returned to zero indication during the down stroke, starts weighing again. But no impulse goes beyond relay R23, because this is dead at the time.

In due course the right-hand scale dial SD?1 reaches 50G pounds, and an impulse is sent from wire 81 to dial 162 contact x through wire (FIG. 4f) to relay R12 and thence to wire 84, which energizes relay R32, thus connecting wire 1 to wire 1412. This wire 102 goes through contacts n and l of relay R29 to wire S6, which goes through contacts n and l of relay R24, which has been energized or set up `'by limit switch LS1. Thus wire 86 energizes relays R29 and R22 (corresponding with relays R19 and R21 of the left press control circuit, above described), thereby reversing lpacker conveyor and starting right press ram down. Relay R24 is killed by the breaking of the holding circuit at limit switch L84.

Meanwhile, as tobacco is delivered again to the lefthand press, the arcuate contact 63 of the pointer 62 moves beyond the 500 pound mark, that is to say, beyond the contact x, so that when relay R23 is again set up, reversal of the conveyor or downward stroke ot the left-hand ram doe-s not occur until the second ill causes the scale to register 1,000 pounds, that is to say, until the arcuate contact 63 engages the contact z, and sends an impulse out over the wire 83 and relay R23 as previously described. Meanwhile, the right ram continues its downward stroke until stopped by engaging limit `switch L82, which also energizes or sets up relay R23 through relay R25, and wire 18, and also actuates timer TS2. After the timer operates, the ram returns to the top. The wheel track of the right press is then raised by air valve AV-2, and the scale starts weighing again, as tobacco continues to `be delivered. .Thus the cycle is repeated indefinitely. While, -for the sake of clearness, I have illustrated the scale dial as provided with three contacts over which the pointer moves, the invention is by no means limited to such a con-struction, as many other possible arrangements will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the weighing scale art. As hereinbefore stated, one method would be to attach mercury tube switches to the pointer. The invention contemplates broadly the provision of a normally live contact and two other contacts operatively associated Iwith the conveyor and ram control circuits, and means operated by the weighing scale for connecting the live contact with one of the said pair of contacts when a denite, relatively small Weight is registered, and for connecting the live contact with the other of said pair of contacts when a delinite greater weight is registered.

The invention also contemplates the provision of a control panel, and remote control means, such for example as relay R12, operated by a manual switch on said control panel for connecting the said pair of contacts together, when desired.

OTHER FEATURES (a) Interlock (l) When the automatic down relay R1 is energized by wire 7 from either manual control switch CS1 or relay R21, it breaks the connection with wire 95, so that the up contacts [of manual switch CS1 are deprived of current.

Similarly, when the automatic up relay R3 is energized by wire 11 from timer TS1, it breaks the connection with wire 93, so that the down contacts of manual switch CS1 are deprived of current.

Thus, by virtue of this interlock, the manual switch vcannot set up a .circuit tending to move the ram in a direction opposite to that in which it is moving under the control -of the automatic relays.

(2) As already mentioned, when an impulse is sent out from a scale dial for the purpose of reversing the packer conveyor, it is not effective to reverse this conveyor unless the ram is all the way up.

(b) Manual take-over from automatic (1) While the apparatus is operating under scale dial control, as above described, and is waiting for scale impulse to reverse the packer conveyor, this conveyor can be manually reversed by push button PBI or PE2, Without affecting the automatic cycle.

Vtop of said charger,

,- the movement of said plunger at any packed, and

.cylinder and adapted to enter said charger,

'ing first and second (2) When, during any cycle, dial has reversed the packer conveyor and started the ramv down, the ram can be stopped atrany point by the manual control switch, such as C Sd, andv further operated at will, manually, without aife'cting the automatic cycle. Thus, if switch CS1 is moved over to the right rand held in that position, it energizes the coil of relayY R5, which thereupon breaks the holding circuit through the coil of relay R1, and at the same time maintains the'ci-rcuit through the coil of valve HV1-A. When the control switch CS1 is released, relay R-opens and interrupts the supply, of cur-rent to the valve coil, thus stopping thevram.

' (3) `When the ram is automatic up relay R3, the operation may `=be taken over by manual control switch'CSl through relayil without aifecting the automatic cycle. y Y v What I claim is; f

1. in a press for Vpacking rial in containers, the combination with a container to be packed, and an upright, open ended charger located over said container, and means for feeding material into the top of said charger, of a power-operated vertically movingrram disposed above said charger and constructed to enter the same to force the material therein into said container- Vand compress the same, electrically controlled means for initiating the downward `movement of said ram, means including a limit switch for causing said ram to automancally continue such movement through its the pointer of theY scaleY loose compressible., matei through said second relay.

' posed above moving under the control of the i* fullV stroke and thereafter to returnl to its original position, and manually controlled electrically activated means fory interrupting the automaticroperation and stopping the movement of said ram at anyfdesired packed, and an upright, open ended charger locatedcver said container, and means for feeding materialy into the of a vertical power cylinder disposed above said charger, a plunger operating in said cylinder and adapted to enter said charger, an electrically operated self-closing valve for controlling the supply of motive fluid to said cylinder, means including. a relay for furnishing current toV open said valve, a holding Vcir.- cuit for keeping sai-d relay energized in order Vto maintain said valve open while said plunger makes a complete stroke, and manual means for breaking said holding circuit and thusrallowing said valve to close and stop desired point ofthe travel thereof. i

3. In ya press for packing loose compressible material in containers, the combination with a container to be an upright,fopen ended charger located over said container, and means for feeding material intol the top of said charger, of a vertical power cylinder4 disposedr above said charger, aplunger operating in said an electrically operated self-closing valve for controlling theV supply 0f motive fluid to said cylinder, manual lswitch means havpairs of contacts, said switch means being movable to selectively bridgeeither'pair of contacts, lirst and second relays, having contacts means whereby the first pail-sof contacts, when bridged, serves Ato supply current to Aenergize said first relayy and vmeans whereby said iirst relay, when energized, serves to supply current to open said valve,ysaid valve remainingV openr as long as said switch means bridges said first pair of contacts, means whereby thei second pair of contacts whenV bridged even momentarily, serves to energize said second relay, means whereby said' second relay, when energized, serves to also open said valve, a holding circuit for maintaining said second delay Venergized and said valve,

circuit including the contacts of said open, said holding` v first relay, when dead, and `means Wherebysaid second relay may be deenergized and said valve allowed to lclose at any time by causing'said switch means to momentarily again bridge said lirst pair of contacts, thusener- Vpoint in itsgtravel. 2. In-a press for packing loose compressible material i in containers, the combination with fa container to bev allowing said valve to close;

, erally spaced, vertically moving,

gizing said first relay andbreaking the holding circuit e. In a press for packing loosercompressible material in containers, the combination with a container to be packed, and an upright, open ended charger located over said container,fand means for feeding material into the top of said charger, of a vvertical power cylinder dissaid charger, a plunger operating in said cylinder and adapted to enter said charger, an electrically operated self-closing valve for Vcontrolling the supply of motive fluid to said cylinder, manual V'switch means hav- -ing first and'secondi pairs ofvcontacts, ysaid Yswitch means being movable to selectively bridgel either pair of contacts, lfirst-and second relays, means whereby the first pair of contacts, whenmomentarily bridged, serves to energize said irst relay` and supply current to open said valve, a hol-ding circuit for said relay including the contacts of said secondrelay, and means whereby the second pair of "contacts,when momentarily engaged, serves to energize said 'second relay and breakv said holding circuit, thus 5. The combination with a'press having a power-operated, electrically `controlled ram, of manualzswitching means having four pairs of contacts, said switching means being biased to neutral position, and being movable to selectively bridge any of said pairs of contacts, means connected with two of said pair of contacts, when said switching means is heldin continuous engagement with -either of said pairs for causingsaid ram to move upwardly or downwardly as desired, means connected with the other two of said pairs of contacts, serving when said switching means momentarily engages either of said other two pairs, to initiatetheupward or downward move- K maintaining throughout its stroke the movement ofthe ram thus initiated.

, 6. In a twin press for packing loose compressible material in containers, the combination with a pair of latpower operated rams, of an upright, opened-ended charger locatedV beneath each ram, a container disposed beneath each charger, a reversible packer conveyor extending between and above the upper ends of said chargers and serving to deliver material into vone or the other of them dependent upon its direction vofV movement, a supply conveyor for feeding a stream of 'material' onto said reversible conveyor at a point between `said chargers, means for initiating the downward moveknient lof thel ram toward whichsaid packer conveyor i has been delivering and normally at the same time reversjing said packed conveyor, and automatic means including a limit switch whereby, if the ram toward which the packer conveyor, when reversed, would deliver, is not all the way up, the said supply conveyor is reversed instead.y

' the packer conveyor is Vrunninginone ing to be automatically Y provided for reversingfsaid conveyor at any vdesired time, l

7. A 4twinpress according to lclaim e, in which, while direction and wait- .reversed, A,manual means are without affecting the automatic cycle. s

8. In ai twin pressfor packing loose compressible material in containers, the combination with a pair of laterally spaced, nvertically moving, power operated rams, of an upright, open-ended charger located beneath each ram,

Ya container disposed beneath eachgcharger, a reversible of material ontosaid reversible 4conveyor at a point be- ,ing said packer conveyor,

` packer conveyor,V

tween said chargersymeans for initiating the downward Vmovement of the ram toward which said packer conveyor has been delivering, and normally` at the same time reversand automatic means including a limit switch whereby, if the ram toward which the when reversed, would deliver, is not all the way up, the feeding of materialfrom said supply conveyor onto said reversible conveyor is stopped.

9. In a twin press for packing loose compressible material in containers, the combination with a pair of laterally spaced, vertically moving, power operated rams, of an upright, open-ended charger located beneath each ram, a container disposed beneath each charger, a reversible packer conveyor extending between and above the upper ends of said chargers and serving to deliver material into one or the other of them dependent upon its direction of movement, a supply conveyor for feeding a stream of material onto said reversible conveyor at a point between said chargers, and automatic means including limit switches operated by said rams for causing the said rams to operate alternately and for periodi cally reversing said packer conveyor in proper timed relation with the movement of said rams.

10. In combination, a double acting power cylinder, a plunger movable therein, means for supplying motive fluid thereto, means for initiating the movement of said plunger upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition, automatic electrically controlled means for causing said plunger to continue to move through its full stroke and thereafter to return to its original position, and manually controlled, electrically operated means for interrupting the operation of said automatic means and stopping the movement of said plunger at any desired point of its travel in either direction.

11. An arrangement as set forth in claim 10, in which the means for supplying motive uid to the cylinder includes an electrically operated, self-closing valve, said valve being free to be electrically operated at all times, in which the means for initiating the movement of the plunger includes means for momentarily supplying current to said valve to open the same, in which the automatic means for causing the plunger to continue to move through its full stroke includes a holding circuit means for automatically maintaining the supply of current in said circuit to hold said valve open, and in which the manual means for interrupting the operation of the automatic means includes a switch for breaking the holding circuit, thus permitting the valve to close.

12. In combination, a double acting power cylinder having a plunger movable therein, an electrically operated, self-closing valve for controlling the supply of motive fluid to said cylinder, manual switch means having irst and second pairs of contacts, said switch means being movable to selectively bridge either pair of contacts, means whereby the iirst pair of contacts, when momentarily bridged, serves to supply current to open said valve, a holding circuit for maintaining the supply of current and thus keeping said valve open, and means whereby the second pair of contacts, when momentarily bridged, serves to interrupt said holding circuit, thus allowing said valve to close.

lli

13. In a press for packing loose compressible material in containers, the combination with a container to be packed, and an upright, open-ended charger located over said container, and means for feeding material into the top of said charger, of a power-operated vertically moving ram disposed above said charger and constructed to enter the same to force the material therein into said container and compress the same, electrically operated means for initiating the downward movement of said ram, automatic means for causing the ram to continue the movement thus initiated, and manually actuated means whereby theoperation of said automatic means may be interrupted at any desired point and the ram further selectively operated under manual control, and whereby the control may be returned, whenever desired, to said automatic means.

14. In a twin press for packing loose compressible material in containers, the combination with a pair of laterally spaced, vertically moving, power operated rams, of an upright, open-ended charger located beneath each ram, a container disposed beneath each charger, a reversible packer conveyor extending between and above the upper ends of said chargers and serving to deliver material into one or the other of them dependent upon its direction of movement, a supply conveyor for feeding a stream of material onto said reversible conveyor at a point between said chargers, means for reversing said packer conveyor, automatic means, operating simultaneously with the reversal of said packer conveyor for initiating the downward movement of the ram toward which said packer conveyor had been delivering, means including a limit switch for automatically continuing such movement through its full downward stroke and return, and manually controlled, electrically actuated means for interrupting the automatic operation and stopping the movement of said ram at any desired point in its travel and for further operating the ram selectively under manual control.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 874,306 12/ 07 Cumpston.

949,767 2/10 House 100-49 1,292,014 1/19 Munger 10G-49 2,283,168 5/42 Ernst et al. 110D-269 X 2,596,018 5/52 Fishburne et al 141-12 2,619,272 11/52 Boehling 141--73 2,675,154 4/54 Fishburne 141-12 2,822,030 2/58 Pokras 100-49 3,024,719 3/62 England 100-49 X WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner. 

14. IN A TWIN PRESS FOR PACKING LOOSE COMPRESSIBLE MATERIAL IN CONTAINERS, THE COMBINATION WITH A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED, VERTICALLY MOVING, POWER OPERATED RAMS, OF AN UPRIGHT, OPEN-ENDED CHARGER LOCATED BENEATH EACH RAM, A CONTAINER DISPOSED BENEATH EACH CHARGER, A REVERSIBLE PACKER CONVEYOR EXTENDING BETWEEN AND ABOVE THE UPPER ENDS OF SAID CHARGERS AND SERVING TO DELIVER MATERIAL INTO ONE OR THE OTHER OF THEM DEPENDENT UPON ITS DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT, A SUPPLY CONVEYOR FOR FEEDING A STREAM OF MATERIAL ONTO SAID REVERSIBLE CONVEYOR AT A POINT BETWEEN SAID CHARGERS, MEANS FOR REVERSING SAID PACKER CONVEYOR, AUTOMATIC MEANS, OPERATING SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE REVERSAL OF SAID PACKER CONVEYOR FOR INITIATING THE DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF THE RAM TOWARD WHICH SAID PACKER CONVEYOR HAD BEEN DELIVERING, MEANS INCLUDING A LIMITED SWITCH FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTINUING SUCH MOVEMENT THROUGH ITS FULL DOWNWARD STROKE AND RETURN, AND MANUALLY CONTROLLED, ELECTRICALLY ACTUATED MEANS FOR INTERRUPTING THE AUTOMATIC OPERATION AND STOPPING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID RAM AT ANY DESIRED POINT IN ITS TRAVEL AND FOR FURTHER OPERATING THE RAM SELECTIVELY UNDER MANUAL CONTROL. 